Mathematicians typically say that maths is a study of patterns, that it is a set of connected ideas, that maths is inextricably linked to all aspects of the natural world and even that it is part of the essence of what it is to be human. so it seems only right that we should give our pupils a mathematical experience that is rich and engaging, and will prepare them for the maths of life and work.We want them to develop the skills necessary to express relationships in numerical, graphical, symbolic, verbal and pictorial forms. But most of all, we want our children to be able to solve, and indeed pose, increasingly complex problems. Maths is not always about the precision of a direct route to a correct answer. Satisfaction - and for some, joy - is very much linked to the unfolding journey towards something that is not known.

Our Aims

At The Southwater Junior Academy, we firmly believe that all children can and will succeed in maths. To that end, we will support our children to:

•enjoy mathematics – experience the success of solving a problem, finding a pattern, spotting a relationship•develop factual, procedural and conceptual fluency, i.e. be able to say ‘I know that…’, ‘I know how…’ and ‘I know why…’.• know, understand and be able to use a wide range of problem solving strategies that involve combining different areas of maths• have a ‘feel’ for numbers - understand the importance of intelligent guessing and how integral this is to the problem solving process • develop persistence and resilience when they are stuck

The Curriculum

As an academy, we follow the Programmes of Study as they are set out in the National Curriculum 2014. Teachers regularly use formative assessment strategies to ensure that children grasp concepts and make links between the areas of maths that they are studying. In order that all children are facilitated to reach the age related expectation set out in the curriculum, teachers ensure that any necessary interventions are swiftly put in place to keep children on track. Our most able mathematicians are challenged to broaden and deepen their understanding through an enriched and challenging curriculum; however they do move on through the curriculum if they have absolutely mastered the content so far.Children are grouped for maths according to a range of factors including the ability they have demonstrated both in class and in assessments and their level of confidence. The groups are reviewed regularly to ensure that all children are best placed to achieve.In every year group, one lesson each week is devoted to problem solving. The children are explicitly taught a range of problem solving strategies and they apply the skills they gain to a very wide range of problems. The children are encouraged to extend problems in new directions and pose their own questions to allow them ownership of their work and stimulate them to learn more. This way, they see that the concepts and computation they encounter in all maths lessons become the tools they can use to work in new and interesting ways.